We were lucky to catch up with Haze Kim recently and have shared our conversation below.
Haze, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
It was 2022, I got the booking email from the job I submitted myself as a dancer. The brand was Good Light which is a skin care brand founded by David Yee who’s also known as an author. I got to work for their campaign. David was on the set and he shared his story growing up not feeling included, seeing the lack of inclusivity and diversity in the beauty world and how he pursued to launch his brand with his vision on inclusivity. That’s when I realized that I was on the set with the whole crew who were either women, queer or BIPOC etc. It was a full of people with different background in the same room. I thought “Oh, shit. I’ve never been on the set that looks like this”. I knew this project would be meaningful one to me and I was grateful to be there even before we finished the shoot. Working for that job taught me about the real diversity and inclusivity – not just the talents who are shown to the audiences but also people who work behind the camera. This kind of experience even though it’s one day job can give me a huge impact on my perspective and growth.
Haze, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a dancer and a model based in NYC. I was born and raised in South Korea and moved to the states in 2017.
I’ve been dancing professionally about 15years. I trained in Ballet, Jazz, Choreography, Street dance and have been specializing on waving for the past years. With all my dance training, I often get fascinated and inspired by different art forms such as paintings, music, photography, films and I also love watching feminine movements. I perform, battle, work for commercial projects and films so pretty much working in both commercial and underground scenes.
Growing up, I thought dance was the only way to express myself so it was like my shelter. But gradually it has taught me that it is safe to come out to the real world. I love dance itself but the community that I feel the love and support is what makes it more special to me.
For modeling, I’ve been working for 5 years and I’m currently signed with Stetts Model Management. It was a natural and gradual extension of my dance career since I was already working for commercial jobs as a dancer. I had opportunities to work with many talented creatives and it inspired me to keep building my artistry alongside dance. Modeling has helped me to see more possibilities within myself.
I love both dance and modeling which require me to be expressive in a different way. Collaborating with other creatives in different fields have been fulfilling and inspiring and that’s something I’d love to do more this year. Generally, I want to keep growing in a creative world and see where it takes me.
My current works include global campaigns such as Puma, Converse, FootAction and Nike x Nordstrom and music videos for Disclosure, Ambar Lucid and Pink Sweats etc. I’ve directed and choreographed for dance films and performed at NYFW, Apollo Theatre and NYPL at Lincoln Center.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To me, It is the outcome I see after the process of making art where I fight with my doubt and fear. My art reflects my story and where I am. Showing that is such a vulnerable thing especially as a dancer, we perform physically and put ourselves out there in front of people. So making art is not easy but when I see what I’ve made visually from what I’ve had in my head, it’s cool and fulfilling.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I’d say making a genuine connection with other people either inside or outside of the field. I used to focus on work itself so much that I didn’t really try to get to know people I met. The more I experienced working as an artist, I learned that there are so many people I can get inspired by who they are as people and their stories, not just their work or reputation. That has really made me grow and open minded. When I saw my growth as a person, I saw my art was also growing together. So I’ve been trying to get to know people I meet and genuinely connect with them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hazekim.com
- Instagram: @hazeyeon
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@hazeyeon
- Other: Linktree : https://linktr.ee/hazekim
Image Credits
1. Still1 (@still1) 2. Dan Chen (@feelslikedan) 3. Timberwolf Films (@timberwolffilms) 4. Ashley Chang (@ashleychaang) 5. Patrik Andersson (@patrikandersonstudio) 6. Lauriane Ogay (@lauriane_ogay_photography) 7. Abigail Tulenko (@abigailtulenko)